Page 59 of Prince of Pain
It was almost dark, and I unlocked the car and climbed in before speaking. “Mom’s probably proud of you for the arson, just so you know.”
He chuckled, buckling himself into the passenger seat. “Yeah, I know.”
I lit a cigarette and paused before offering him one, and he didn’t hesitate to accept it. I shouldn’t have, but it wasn’t like he was ten.
Once on the road, he turned to me. “You’re like a ghost in the house. I haven’t seen you. Ryder, right?”
“Yeah, the problem child,” I said dryly, resting an arm on the open window and flicking the ash out. “I’ve got my own shit to deal with and no offense, but your situation isn’t really on my radar.”
“I don’t expect it to be. Drake told me not to ask about you,” he said carefully, making me snort.
“Everyone knows about my stint in rehab, it’s not a secret.”
“I heard gossip at the Academy, but usually gossip is bullshit. Drinking problem?”
“Drug problem,” I corrected, not giving a shit about telling him. “Mostly party pills, but I got into the harder shit a few times.”
“I’ve never tried more than weed. Never had the connections to get it,” he said, and I glanced over at him with a firm look.
“Don’t do it. You see the fun side, not the downfall. Drugs turn you into a completely different person, and you set yourself up for a lifetime of struggle. Every day I wake up irritated, I snap at people and say shit I don’t mean just because I’m craving something. I feel like I can’t function without them. Drugs make you feel like you’re on top of the world, but they also alter your mind and destroy your body. I assaulted my sister’s girlfriend, and I can never take that back.”
His eyes widened, his voice quiet. “Luna? You hurt her?”
My hand tightened on the wheel, and I inhaled the rest of my cigarette before flicking the butt out the window. “I didn’t hurt her, I scared her. I touched her without permission.”
“But you seem so nice.”
I laughed dryly, shaking my head slightly. “Sober me and fucked up me are two different people. I’d never wish this shit on anyone. If someone tries to pressure you into anything, walk away. I wish I had.”
We didn’t talk for the rest of the drive, and I was pretty sure I was terrible at hiding my mood on the cameras because when we walked inside through the garage, Tyler appeared in front of us.
“Noah, can you give us a minute?”
Noah nodded, mumbling a thanks for bringing him home before walking further into the house, and Tyler sighed. “What happened?”
I clenched my fists before realizing I was doing it, relaxing my body as I took a breath. “It’s been a rough day. I was giving Noah the anti-drug lecture on the ride home and made myself twitchy again. I’m okay.”
“You’re not, but that’s okay,” he smiled. “Do you need company or alone time?”
“I’m going to have a shower. I’ll come back down for dinner,” I answered, needing some peace for a few minutes.
“Noah’s a good kid, but he’s not a fan of adults. The last one he trusted burned him. I’m grateful you talked to him because he’s likely to listen to you, but don’t do it if it’s going to cost you.”
“He seems alright, but I’ve seen a lot of kids like him. They’re like sheep when they’re trying to fit into a crowd,” I replied with a cringe.
“It happens a lot. Go shower. Jense and Luke will have dinner done in an hour,” he said as he moved out of my way so I could pass. “And, Ry? You might feel like you failed today, but you pushed through. A bad mood we can fix, remember that.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I mumbled, giving him a small smile, and headed up to my room, locking myself inside and stripping off for a shower.
Once I was under the scorching hot spray, I slid to the floor under it and savored the burn, hoping it burned away the day and fixed me.
It never did, but I’d keep trying.
Chapter Eleven
Tempest
Amassive fight had broken out at Wet Dreams, meaning Mom and Dad didn’t come home for dinner. I shouldn’t have been surprised, that club would always mean more to them than I did, and Luna was out with Riley like she always was.